On Foot · NEW ZEALAND WALKING TOURS
This is the shortlist you would send a friend: 15 walking tours in New Zealand worth the shoe leather, each with its price, its traveller verdict and the one thing to know before you commit.
Review of Hobbiton from Shire’s Rest: costs, itinerary, guides, accessibility, group size, Green Dragon drink, and practical booking tips.
“The most magical and wonderful time visiting Hobbiton and experiencing the Shire! Our guide, Georgia, was excellent. Learned interesting facts about the filming of the movies. Loved every minute!”
Review of Rotorua’s Ultimate Zipline, with six ziplines, a 400m tandem flight, cliff walk, forest views, practical tips, and value advice.
“Was such a fun experience! Highly recommend if travelling through Rotorua. Tour guides Dylan and Steven made the experiencing even funner.”
Review of Waitomo’s Ruakuri Cave walking tour, with glowworms, limestone formations, local guides, access details, price, and practical tips.
“A truly wonderful and enlightening experience. It’s astonishing to learn how old the caves are and to see the beauty within. Guides Bridie and Gabe were very knowledgeable. Thank you for a superb experience.”
Review of Rotorua’s Hell’s Gate mud spa and geothermal walk, with practical tips on guides, sulphur smells, value, timing, and family access.
“Very hot! But thoroughly enjoyed our whole day. The scenery is fantastic and all the activities included were super.”
Review of the Abel Tasman Sea Shuttle cruise and walk combo, with three routes, golden beaches, seals, timing advice, and practical tips.
“What a great day out from start to finish, very good guide to explain tour and it’s surroundings.”
Explore Auckland’s food scene on a three-hour walking tour with local tastings, wine, history, and practical dining tips.
“What a great way to see a bit of Auckland and learn about the local history and architecture all while getting aquatinted with some of the restaurants in the area. We really enjoyed our time with Kath and Claire and hated for the tour to end. AlRead more”
Sail Abel Tasman’s golden coast, spot fur seals, swim at Anchorage Bay, then walk 12 km through native bush to Marahau.
“Claudia pick us up at the car park, coffee and then straight in the boat. Stunning weather, Claudia and Marco are so nice and very friendly, they made the day special. This activity with the hike in the afternoon is perfect to discover the Abel Tasman National Park!”
Explore Rotorua’s Hell’s Gate geothermal park with bubbling mud, hot waterfalls, sulfur pools, Māori carving, and a useful self-guided walk.
“Engaging, informative and entertaining tour in a location where culture and geology is intertwined 😊”
Taste Auckland through local cheese, Kiwi classics, restaurant bites and chocolate while exploring city history on a three-hour walking tour.
“I loved the upscale restaurants we visited of real New Zealanders businesses. Very unique flavours, interesting upgrades .. all made with real home ingredients. Lovely company meeting fellow travellers and 2 Kiwis who were surprised to learn so much about Auckland — despite being native to Auckland!!”
Explore Auckland’s lanes, Māori and European history, local treats, coffee, and insider food tips on a relaxed small-group walking tour.
“Joe was a wonderful guide around central Auckland, full of energy and she packed in a lot of information in three hours. The pace of the tour was quick. I would have liked more snacks for the price of the tour.”
Review of Fox Glacier’s gentle guided forest walk, glacier views, hot drinks, gear, transport, weather limits, and value at $65.
“Had a great time, Jake was very knowledgeable and fun. Stunning forrest and the glacier is just breathtaking. Keep mooning those bloody helicopters Jakey ;-)”
Cruise Paterson Inlet to Ulva Island for a guided bird sanctuary walk, native wildlife, Maori history, and beautiful Stewart Island scenery.
“It was a fantastic day. Due to weather conditions they improvised and modified the trip to make sure we still had a great day.”
Cruise Lake Te Anau aboard historic yacht Faith, walk to a hidden lake, and enjoy guided nature, canapés, drinks, and small-group charm.
“Megan and Adam were fabulous hosts. we thoroughly enjoyed our trip on Faith, would highly recommend.”
Review of Franz Josef Glacier Lookout Guided Walk, a small-group rainforest and glacier valley tour with guides, gear, tea, and scenic views.
“Tyler was an excellent guide informative and knowledgeable. Tour was educational and interesting. Chose this over a helicopter trip because it seemed ridiculous to pay a fortune to help accelerate the recession of the glacier with unnecessary CO2 emissions. Right choice, great trip.”
Cruise Lake Wanaka to Stevensons Island for mountain views, a guided nature walk, photos, and tea for $50.
“It was a very windy and rainy day but the boat is a good size and handled the trip well. The walk on the island was a bit uphill, but the view at the end was worth it. Great staff on board.”
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